Oh no, you won’t believe what happened! You left me, when I was just about to go on a date with my Austrian cutie, Sebastian, on my skiing vacation. By Sunday evening, I was getting quite excited. I specifically booked in with a salon to have my hands and nails done (icy cold weather, snow and skiing gear don’t exactly make you prettier…).

So, on Monday morning I felt so butterfliesy that Reena started to give me worried looks and asked whether anything was up. Since I did not want to share my amorous plans for the night, I just shook my head and sat on my hands in order to stop me fidgeting around. The happy bubbles came to the an abrupt end when my phone rang and one of my editors ordered me back to London for an urgent meeting early on Tuesday morning!

Imagine! There I was, about to go on a date with a funny, talkative guy – who incidentally looks delicious – and the treat was snatched away from me right under my nose. Can you imagine how I felt? Anyway, I needed to tell Sebastian that there would be no date, while at the same time making sure there would be one on my return. I called him and told him I was awfully sorry and I would really like to have been there with him this evening. “I was hoping that you would drive me to the airport” I asked but he was already busy for the afternoon, though, and just said he hoped I would return soon.

Back in a snowy and wet London, I spent a couple of days sorting out emergency interviews with my editor. Indeed, I was so busy that I hardly got time to think about Sebastian. Only in the few minutes before you drift off into slumber did the blurry vision of a tall guy with brown, wavy hair and an infectious smile crop up to haunt my dreams.

I had been hoping to get back to Lech within the week. But more and more appointments came up and, well, I am still in London…

You will ask: is that the end to the story? And for some time, I thought this was exactly it. A nearly-perfect encounter on a skiing trip. Only, that the encounter did not actually happen. Late on Wednesday evening when I was poring over a research, my phone buzzed. It was Sebastian! Excitement flooded through me despite the fact that I was tired to the bone. His text was casual and friendly:

“Hi Sophie, I hope London is treating you well. We had a lot of snow last night – come back and we can enjoy some of it together :-), S”

He wants to see me! Now I just need to figure out how to go back… With these comforting thoughts, I finished my research and went to sleep.

Thursday morning brought an unpleasant surprise. My editor informed me that the US office had announced a spontaneous visit and was expecting all staff, including the freelancers to be available during the next two weeks! Two weeks! How on earth was I now going back to Austria? All the happiness that Sebastian’s text had brought seemed to drain within seconds and I was left feeling hollow and miserable.

The entire January! Since I was scheduled to go to Gstaad with Kate for a long girly retreat-weekend on the first of Feb, I could not really see how to keep Sebastian’s interest going well into February. Now, I thought the game was finally over, the chance missed. I was gutted… I hesitated to tell him but knew there was no way out. So I texted:

“Wow! So much snow… Wish I was there! Alas, work doesn’t allow it. Shame, I would have liked to go on our date. Oh well, maybe next year L. Lots of love, xx Sophie”

I hit the send button, fully expecting never to hear from Sebastian again and went to bed early.

Now, you won’t believe what has happened since Thursday night! Saturday dawned dull and grey (outside as well as inside) and nothing exciting transpired – until…

Until my phone buzzed me out of my cheerless thoughts. Him!

“Sophie, this may sound crazy, but here it goes: go to the Vienna Opera Ball with me! Saturday, 7th of Feb, be my date for the night! Sebastian.”

OMG. OMG! Do you have any idea what this means to me? Not only that I am going to see a guy, who I am now convinced will be a very special person in my life. No, I am also going to one of the most lavish and extravagant social events of the season in the whole of Europe!

My reply? One single word: “Yes!”

Now, all that remains is to find the perfect princess ball gown. And now that I have had my coffee and quickly noted down what has happened, I’m going to jump out of bed and find the most beautiful dress up there. Wish me luck!

Having skidded headlong into my thirties, completely unprepared for what was expecting me, has probably been the best that has ever happened to me. Dating has never been more intriguing - life has never been more amazing! Laugh and cry with me on my way through the often fantastic and sometimes abysmal London dating scene…